Can N Korea strike the continental U.S.?If N Korea could boost a warhead straight up into low earth orbit (a rather short relative distance), keep it positioned there while the world rotates around under it, then use thrusters to nudge the warhead back into a gentle re-entry, just what could N Korea hit along both sides of Latitude 40 North?

Is the fake news media (that self-proclaimed 4th Branch of Government) showing that it is just as dysfunctional as the other original three branches by keeping attention divertedin other directions?

There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading, the few who learn by observation, and the rest who have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.Proud Noodlehead

The orbital mechanics and technology required to put an object into an orbit (there are 4 different types), then return it to a specific location, is so difficult only the US, Russia and China can do it.

China "stole" US orbital technology from America in 1993 when Clinton gave them a Top Secret Boeing machine shop, that was building a multi-stage ICBM. That's the only reason China has a space program today. Another Clinton legacy.

The big fear among planners is NK detonating a nuke at 60 -100 miles above Japan or the US, causing a massive EMP and taking down our power grid. Not to be callous but in strategic terms, if we lose a west coast city to an NK nuke, we're still a viable threat to retaliate with conventional forces.

But if we lose our power grid, we'll be too busy trying to save our own cities and protecting resources for us to attack NK. If anyone thinks we'd launch a nuke in response, think again.

Pyongyang is too close to Seoul and China for us to nuke. The leftists & RINO's on China's payroll in Congress & Senate would never allow a nuclear response, because of the collateral damage and fear of starting WW3.

If Trump really has balls, he might be able to order a cruise missile nuke strike on Pyongyang, but it would be very small and only kill a bunch of civilians. Those in power would simply move and stay in power with a lot less mouths to feed.

I thought we are sitting on the dmz, patrolling the waters in the area and sending missile shoot down test messages? I think the only real problem is that noko has friends. There are only two neighbors in the area, one has nothing to worry about, the other has had fifty some years to plan and the US deals with both.

Can one nuke knock out the entire power grid?Seems plausible but unlikely.Aaron

I doubt it. For one thing there are actually seven separate grids in the USA (I think it's seven). They aren't totally independent, but probably enough so that getting one wouldn't get the others. But fair to say that killing even one would be a disaster far beyond even the Harvey flooding.

Edit: I'm wrong, the seven are grouped into three - the Eastern Interconnect, and the Western Interconnect, divided roughly along the longitude of Denver. Texas, being Texas, has it's own. The three do not operate in phase, so interconnection is limited to very high voltage DC. According to Wiki, which might be reliable in this case, there are only six DC connections between Eastern and Western Interconnects.

Depending how large the nuke is, how high, how centered to the country and it's spike signature, it's possible to take out the North American power grid with 1 device. The only countries capable of an attack like that is Russia and possibly China.

The scope of destruction is determined by the location of the nuke. An NK nuke would be limited to the west coast, possibly as far as AZ or power stations near Texas. The military and 3 letter agencies have hardened their power / electronic systems, but the civilian power companies who control the various grids have not.

When Omuslim became dictator, he was told to spend $2 billion to upgrade and harden our power grids but he elected to spend $30 billion a year of taxpayer cash to muslim countries. So now we're broke, there is no money to upgrade the grid and it's too late in the game.

It's getting a bit more serious today.How do we get out of this mess without S. Korea losing most of it's populous?Massive non-nuclear strike thoroughly dismembering the NOKO military? Can that be possible?It was only a matter of time till someone even crazier than us got nukes. I still remember the dread from the Cuban crisis.And, of course, there's Irma.Aaron

WARNING: This post may contain material offensive to those who lack wit, humor, common sense and supporting factual or anecdotal evidence.